UTSA Housing COVID-19 Isolation/Quarantine Protocol
Housing and Residence Life (HRL) is committed to an effective and efficient response to residents potentially exposed to COVID-19. HRL will work closely with health officials regarding mitigation steps to confine community spread on campus including self-isolation or quarantine procedures for residents.
Residents that have been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive person, experiences symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19 themselves will adhere to the following guidelines based on the conditions reported:
- Residents must report close contact with a Covid-positive person, COVID-19 symptoms or COVID-19 positive test results to Student Health Services (SHS) via the Covid-19 Self-reporting Tool.
- After reporting, residents should take the following steps:
- Quarantine within their unit pending direction from SHS or HRL.
- Wear a face covering at all times, including inside their living unit.
- Avoid contact with roommates.
- Clean and disinfect all points of contact.
- Notify roommates so that roommates can protect themselves inside their living unit.
- SHS will respond to the self-report and provide guidance to the resident and HRL as soon as possible.
HRL will utilize the following procedures based on the resident’s self-report and SHS guidance.
Quarantine
Residents that report close contact (exposure) to a COVID-19 positive person but not reporting symptoms via UTSA’s COVID-19 Self-Assessment tool and have not tested positive for COVID-19 must quarantine for 14 days unless provided further instruction from SHS or HRL.
Isolation
Residents that report COVID-19 related symptoms via UTSA’s COVID-19 Self-Assessment tool or a positive COVID-19 test must isolate from roommates for 10 days and have no fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication; AND other symptoms must have improved before a resident is released from isolation. All Covid-positive students living on campus should consult with SHS or primary care provider. Residents that are exposed to a Covid-positive student will be advised to quarantine for 14 days from the last day of exposure.
Quarantine / Isolation Options
- Off-Campus at evacuation location
- On-Campus at designated location
Off-Campus Quarantine / Isolation
Residents are strongly encouraged to immediately depart campus to an evacuation location. Quarantine / Isolation away from campus will likely be more convenient and comfortable than remaining on-campus and offers better protection for the rest of the residential community.
Residents in quarantine / isolation off-campus should utilize the following protocol.
- Notify the Housing and Residence Life (HRL) point of contact of decision to quarantine / isolate off-campus.
- Relocate to off-campus evacuation location within 24 hours.
- This is not a permanent move. Residents do not have to move completely out of the current room.
- Take all items necessary for the quarantine / isolation period.
- Communicate with Student Health Services (SHS) and return to on-campus housing only when released by SHS.
On-Campus Quarantine / Isolation
HRL will provide detailed instructions regarding quarantine and isolation procedures. Enclosed below is the basic framework for the process.
- Residents in quarantine on-campus will remain within their current bedroom / living unit.
- Residents in isolation will relocate to a separate unit.
- Residents remain within their on-campus bedroom until HRL provides instructions and coordinates their transition to a separate isolation unit.
- Residents will be assigned individually unless another member of the family unit must also isolate.
- Residents will not share a bathroom during isolation.
- Residents must relocate to isolation within 24 hours.
- Residents should only take the items necessary for the temporary isolation period.
- Campus Dining will provide meals twice per day.
- Meals will be charged to resident meal plans.
- Residents without meal plans will be charged $25 per day. Charged will be posted to the residents student account at the end of the quarantine / isolation period.
- Meal orders must be submitted at least one day in advance.
Contact within your unit with roommates:
- Eliminate all face-to-face contact with roommates.
- Always wear a face covering.
- Notify roommates of the need to avoid contact.
- Remain within your bedroom and minimize time spent in common spaces in your living unit.
- Clean and disinfect any point of contact before and after use.
- Avoid sharing a bathroom with roommates when possible.
- Wash hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer frequently.
- Contact healthcare provider or the Student Health Services Nurse Advice line at 210-458-4142, menu option 3 as necessary based on health conditions.
During Quarantine / Isolation On-Campus:
- Remain inside your room and avoid contact with any other residents.
- Monitor health conditions daily and complete the daily Covid-19 self-monitoring log to record health symptoms.
- Submit the isolation or quarantine Covid-19 self-monitoring log to SHS when instructed.
- Ensure cell phones or other means of communication remain charged and available for use.
- Hydrate and eat healthy meals.
- SHS will contact residents daily to confirm health status and provide necessary instruction(s). Follow all guidance from healthcare professionals.
- Resident will ensure cell phones or other means of communication remain charged and available for use.
- Continue to wash hands frequently.
- Clean and disinfect bedroom and door surfaces.
- Clean and disinfect bathrooms and other shared areas / surfaces before and after use.
- Adhere to academic continuity procedures as established by the university to facilitate your academic progress.
- Communicate virtually with family, friends, classmates and remain engaged in university activities.
- Contact university support services if assistance is required. Refer to the contact list at the end of this checklist for information on many services.
- Adhere to meal delivery procedures
- Order meals at least one (1) day in advance.
- Be available during scheduled delivery times to receive prepared food.
- Meal delivery will be contactless.
- Adhere to trash removal procedures
- Secure all trash within a fully enclosed trash bag for disposal.
- Double bag the trash to prevent rips, tears or damage to the bag that would allow trash to escape.
- Place trash outside the unit no more than one hour before the designated trash pickup schedule.
- Trash should never be placed outside the unit the night before to reduce the presence of animals.
- Laundry equipment will be unavailable during isolation. Prepare enough clothing for the entire length of isolation.
- In the event this is not possible, HRL has arranged pickup / delivery laundry service.
- Residents will contract directly with the service provider at their own risk. Residents are responsible for the entire cost of the service.
- HRL will not escort laundry service providers to the pick-up / drop off locations. Laundry Service employees will check in at the residential community front desk to gain access to the community. They will then pick-up and deliver laundry outside of the resident’s unit door.
Release from Quarantine / Isolation:
- SHS in coordination with HRL will release residents from quarantine / isolation.
- Residents in isolation must remain in isolation pending the end of quarantine for any roommates.
- Continue to monitor health conditions.
QUESTIONS
Email UTSA Housing COVID-19 Isolation/Protocol questions to studenthousing@utsa.edu.